Materialism II
Gordon's post yesterday about facing up to our own materialism is one we all need to hear regularly. He rightly urges us to consider 1 Timothy 6:6 (“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment”). I would also add that we shouldn't isolate that verse from the verses that come immediately after it, otherwise we could perhaps respond by saying “I am content with what I have—my nice house, two cars, my satisfying job”. But that is not the real challenge Paul is presenting. The two verses following this say: “for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” The real challenge is to be content not just in our comfortable middle/upper class existence, but to be content even if all that should change and we only have food and clothing.
In other words, contentment is something we should, like Paul, be able to “learn” in “whatever situation” we are in (Phil 4:11). It therefore requires a peculiarly Christian perspective on our circumstances. That perspective can be seen in one of the other New Testament references to being content: “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5).
No matter what the insecurities of our physical existence, we have this fabulous promise from God: he will always be with us. That is where our security and contentment should be grounded.